As you probably know from cruising social media this morning, the Met Gala was last night. A slew of big names turned out for the theme of “Garden of Time,” including Kim Kardashian who wore a heavily corseted Margiela by John Galliano gown.
While the look was dramatic, the dress was so tight that Kim looked like she was having trouble breathing in it at one point. The 43-year-old also seemed to need to get help from attendees to make her way up the stairs due to how restrictive her dress was, per People.
Kim Kardashian attends The 2024 Met Gala on May 06, 2024 in New York City.
This isn’t Kim’s first time wearing a heavily corseted gown to the Met Gala. In 2019, she wore a Thierry Mugler gown with an intense corset that she later said was hard to breathe in. “I have never felt pain like that in my life,” she told WSJ Magazine.
While Kim hasn’t commented on how she felt in this year’s dress, plenty of people have shared concerns in the comments of her Instagram post about the look. “Girl… slay. But where did you put all your internal organs???” one wrote. “How r u breathing tho,” another said.
It’s understandable to have questions after seeing all of this, including whether wearing a corset like this is safe. Doctors say it really depends.
“If worn correctly and for short periods of time, corsets are generally safe,” says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, MD. “But if too tight or worn for extended periods of time, it can pose some health risks.”
In the short term, a corset can constrict the lungs if it’s cinched too tight, making it hard to breathe, Wider says. There’s also your skin to think about. “Harsh materials can cut into the skin, causing abrasions, rashes, and potentially infections,” she says. “Corsets can also compress the abdominal muscles, and impair proper digestion.”
If you’re wearing a tight corset, “there are certain compromises being made,” points out Christine Greves, MD, a women’s health expert and ob/gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida. “It does result in shallow breathing,” she says. Another potential concern that Greves flags: This can compress nerves in your body and cause a tingling feeling.
Something else to consider: “It can reduce blood flow and create some risks such as digestive issues and muscle weakness,” says Jessica Shepherd, MD, an ob/gyn in Texas and founder of Sanctum Med Wellness.
But there are potential long-term impacts of corseting regularly, too. “There is some evidence that wearing a corset long-term can weaken the pelvic floor muscles because the muscles don’t have the opportunity to contract and release properly,” Wider says. When you regularly wear it over time, a corset “can definitely impair the natural movement of your diaphragm and cause impairment to the internal organs,” Shepherd says.
Essentially, if you enjoy breathing and have internal organs, there’s really no need to go this route. “Do your body a favor and listen to it,” Greves says. “You may want to focus on having pretty fingernails instead.”
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
